BigAl

Nice sentiment ST, but guess it only really relates to one year....all the other years they were normally out before August was finished

Interesting article taken from the Scotsman: IRONY will be at the forefront of the minds of certain members of the Scottish Football League with long memories when they vote on the future of ‘The Rangers’. Five clubs which will be involved in determining which division the Ibrox club will play in next season – Albion Rovers, Berwick Rangers, Brechin City, Stenhousemuir and Stranraer – may think back 48 years when the boot was on the other foot. In 1964, this gang of five survived an attempt to oust them from senior football in a move led by Rangers. The Glasgow giants wanted to reduce the number of clubs in the then top two divisions from 37 to 32 and proposed that the minnows should drop out. Rangers proposed that the five clubs with the smallest gate receipts should be kicked out and were at the vanguard of moves to make it happen, including sending out correspondence to the other member clubs and deliberately excluding the targeted clubs. Amid much legal wrangling, the smaller clubs – supported by Celtic and their chairman Robert Kelly – survived the move. SFL Operations Director David Thomson recalled: “The book that was launched to mark the centenary of the SFL in 1990 records what happened. The five clubs were in danger of being voted out. However, Stenhousemuir committee member Robert Turpey, who was also a lawyer, and strongly supported by the other clubs, was successful in raising an interim interdict on their behalf.” The matter was eventually resolved out of court in November 1964 amid promises that the clubs would remain in the SFL and any new league that was formed. Thomson added: “That decision probably marks the start of a move to three professional leagues that started a decade later when the Premier League along with Divisions 1 and 2 were created.” However, Rangers’ role in the wrangle caused a lot of anger at the time, especially in Stranraer. Present-day committee member Shaun Niven said: “I know that a lot of people in the town were unhappy with what had gone on. Stranraer are Scotland’s third oldest team as we were formed in 1870 after just Queen’s Park and Kilmarnock. We waited over 80 years to be admitted to the old-style Division Two and to be told after ten years that we were not wanted caused a lot of resentment. The clubs that had been targeted rallied round to win their case and remain in the SFL to this day.” Looking at Rangers’ present predicament, Niven added: “This situation is another of the great ironies that football throws up. We could now determine whether Rangers get into the SFL and what division they come into after they tried to throw us out all those years ago. “This whole situation is full of issues going full circle as it has probably accelerated the amalgamation of the SPL and the SFL 15 years after they were spilt apart by SPL sides led by Rangers and Celtic. Now one league body is seen as the way forward.” Berwick, of course, took a measure of revenge on the park less than two years later when they defeated Rangers 1-0 in a Scottish Cup tie, and now the fate of the club that wanted to expel them and four others could sit in their collective hands. If it comes to a vote at the SFL, Stranraer would have to balance the prospect of placing Rangers in the First Division for the good of the game overall against their own promotion to the Second Division, as they were the losing play-off side last month and weigh up the benefit of eight local derbies against Queen of the South and Ayr United to an overall package that benefits the SFL overall. Niven added, “Nothing will be pre-judged based on what happened nearly 50 years ago. If we have to make a decision we will do that based on what is best for Stranraer FC and Scottish football overall.”

Norway is he going to let you have the last word

Couldn't have put it better myself MBT A full ten years before the Simpson/Durrant accidental clash and yet still "they" point at the 1988 incident as the start point of the ill feeling between our club and their defunct one

Would love that to be true

Aye right Good signing if we actually utilise him correctly

Actually hadn't thought of that when I posted it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNpx7CWLbCk

Dear Stewart So glad that you read my post and decided this was the time to act Yours Al.

If they're lucky and manage to get more votes than Spartans or Cove

You must have posted it on one of those inferior AFC web sites then

quote author=glasgow sheep link=topic=15456.msg259998#msg259998 date=1340639939] http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18577192 :ultras: :ultras: Even though it is copied

Are you seriously saying that your missus won't be home alone on Saturday afternoons next season

Yep Arabs were second to show hand

Indeed it is David........ They must be going into meltdown now

NOW ON SSN

WE ARE THE FIFTH

Will merge in due course, but worthy of thread It is on official site

Stripped of QPR captaincy and fined £500k Also stated further incidents will see his contract terminated

Not forgetting the new manager's name Derek Adams

Yes, but probably from same source as you

C'mon Stewarty this is your time Four down, who is going to claim the spoils and put the crucial kick in, whilst they are down on their knees http://local.stv.tv/glasgow/107843-inverness-ct-become-latest-club-to-say-no-to-newco-in-spl-meeting/

Worst kept secret of the silly season We appear to have made a royal fuck up on this one

Given the fact I've consistantly made my feelings clear on this matter, should come as no surprise that I'm of the opinion that they can ram it, if Huns anything other than Div 3 come season 2012/13